Connecting to Remote MariaDB using SSH and Socket File (No TCP)

Here is a detailed explanation on how to connect to a remote MariaDB server using a standard MariaDB socket file instead of a password:

Prerequisites

1. Ensure that you have installed MariaDB server on both the local and remote machines.
2. Make sure that the MariaDB server is running on the remote machine.
3. Obtain the standard MariaDB socket file from the remote machine. The socket file is usually located at /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock or /tmp/mysql.sock.

Steps

1. Copy the MariaDB socket file from the remote machine to your local machine. You can use scp command for this:

scp username@remote_ip:/path/to/socket_file /path/to/local_socket_file

Replace username, remote_ip, /path/to/socket_file, and /path/to/local_socket_file with appropriate values.

2. Create a new MariaDB configuration file for your local machine. You can use the default configuration file my.cnf as a template:

sudo cp /etc/mysql/my.cnf /etc/mysql/my.cnf.original
sudo nano /etc/mysql/my.cnf

3. In the new configuration file, add the following lines at the end:

[client]
socket=/path/to/local_socket_file

Replace /path/to/local_socket_file with the path to the socket file you copied in step 1.

4. Save the changes and exit the editor.

5. Restart the MariaDB server to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart mariadb

6. Now, you can connect to the remote MariaDB server using the mysql command:

mysql -u username -h remote_ip

Replace username and remote_ip with appropriate values.

Summary

• Article on LocalTunnel and SSH
• MariaDB Documentation on Socket Plugin

This method allows you to connect to a remote MariaDB server without using a password, which can be useful for exploration purposes. However, it is essential to ensure that the socket file is secure and only accessible by authorized users.